Councilman Bill Bishop's Comments in the Daily Record.

[thelakelander]

You won't find them sleeping on these types of benches. 

[ProjectMaximus]

I stand corrected. I have seen that.

[Jerry Moran]

like I said...stick a bar in the middle of the two-person bench....that way, its impossible to lay down.

If one of our Citizen-Vagrants decides to devour a downtown flying rat, nothing on this earth, not even an Amendment to a City Ordinance, will prevent him from eventually laying down.

[thelakelander]

So is the answer to pull up the sidewalks?   It evident we should be dealing with the vagrant issue, as opposed to making the downtown core more hostile to everyone else.  Removing benches is reactionary.  We need to get proactive for a change.

[RiversideGator]

Personally, I think strict vagrancy laws combined with a relocation of all bum facilities (i.e. Sulzbacher, Salvation Army, etc) out of downtown is the best way to go.  Banning all benches seems to be more treating the symptoms instead of curing the disease.

[jtwestside]

Personally, I think strict vagrancy laws combined with a relocation of all bum facilities (i.e. Sulzbacher, Salvation Army, etc) out of downtown is the best way to go.  Banning all benches seems to be more treating the symptoms instead of curing the disease.

I've been thinking this same thing. However, most people are going to start yelling NIMBY! as soon as you mention a location near their house.

The real symptom is the need for these places in the first place. They themselves are symptoms of a lack of mental health care, or training (ala City Rescue's Program). You can't just give someone food and shelter and expect that they aren’t just going to stick around for it again, and again ... you're just rewarding their vagrancy.

[thelakelander]

In the short term, a relocation plan could include attempting to relocate many of these services in a centralized industrial location outside of the heart of downtown.  The highly abandoned Dennis Street warehouse district is something that should be considered.  It has ample cheap available space for the expansion of social services and its centrally located (region-wise) on the edge of downtown.  Its also buffered from other land uses by McCoys Creek, warehouses, I-95 and railroad tracks.  Its probably the best spot in town where these uses could expand without heavy opposition.

[RiversideGator]

Agreed.  I think you posted a map with this area circled on it before, Lake.  That is the ideal solution on a local level.  On a statewide/national level, the best thing would be restore vagrancy laws and the old system of secure mental health facilities.

[avonjax]

like I said...stick a bar in the middle of the two-person bench....that way, its impossible to lay down.

If one of our Citizen-Vagrants decides to devour a downtown flying rat, nothing on this earth, not even an Amendment to a City Ordinance, will prevent him from eventually laying down.

I have always loved the idea of punishing the whole class because one kid is bad.....
I say put razor wire around the parks, pull out the benches, heck the Riverwalks will have to go. I'm picturing something like Escape From New York....